HONOLULU – The Chaminade University softball team on Friday opened their fall exhibition season in the annual Fall Preseason Classic hosted by the University of Hawai'i at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
After rain claimed Thursday's opener against the Rainbow Wahine as well as the Friday afternoon opener against Fullerton College, the skies cleared to allow the Silverswords to see what their 2025 squad will look like on the field.
With the roster expanded to 24 strong including 13 newcomers, the 'Swords more than held their own against their Division I cousins in a 2-1 defeat.
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City), last season's Pacific West Conference Player of the Year – a first for Chaminade softball – picked up right where she left off and accounted for two of the 'Swords' five hits against UH.
Meanwhile,
Bailey Benson (Cheney, Wash./Gonzaga Preparatory) and
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) held the 'Bows to just three hits.
Fujioka drove in the game's first run on an RBI single in the third inning after
Isabel Rodriguez (Littleton, Colo./Columbine) led off the inning with a single to right field and reached third on an error.
Benson went the first four innings and allowed just two hits but one was a two-run homer by Liliana Thomas in the fourth.
The 'Swords had a chance to tie it in the sixth after Fujioka's one-out ground-rule double but was left stranded.
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) led off the seventh with a single but the 'Swords couldn't get the tying run in scoring position.
Benson took the loss while Lopez allowed just one hit in two innings of relief. Addison Kostrencich got the win for the Rainbow Wahine.
The Fall Preseason Classic concludes Sunday when the Silverswords face Fullerton at noon, then wrap the tournament with a 4:30 p.m. rematch against Hawai'i, weather pending.
